What happens after a Dementia Diagnosis?

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia it is vitally important to give yourself time to adjust before making any life changing decisions. Share your concerns and feelings with family and friends before you sit down together and discuss an action plan for the future. It is crucial to do this as early as possible after a dementia diagnosis whilst you are still able to make clear decisions for yourself. Here we share what key actions you should take after a dementia diagnosis:

Find the Right Support

• Contact your local authority and find out what help and support you’ll need as all care and support assessments are free of charge
• If you’re still working – talk to your HR department. Employers are legally required to support you and make any necessary adjustments
• Discover what support services are available in your own area as they do vary from county to county – ask your local GP for information
• Contact your local Age UK and the Alzheimer’s Society as they have a wealth of information about local helplines, groups and services
• Contact DVLA and your car insurance company as although you are still able to drive, you’re legally required to inform them of a dementia diagnosis

Get your Financial Affairs in order

• Make a will
• Ensure all bank accounts and important paperwork can be located easily
• Consider setting up a direct debit account, this ensures bills are paid automatically
• Discover what benefits you’re entitled to by contacting your local AGE UK
• Choose someone you trust to have lasting power of attorney

Create a Memory Book

A memory book is an ideal way for those with a dementia diagnosis to provide a record of their life. This is extremely useful as the disease progresses and memory loss increases. Details to include are:

• Add photos of family, friends and pets and add their names alongside each photo
• Include information about your jobs, who and where you worked
• Describe your hobbies and interests
• Note what your favourite meal is and food that you dislike
• Include special keepsakes – tickets from a favourite concert, football match or theatre show
• Create a playlist of your favourite songs

Take Care of your Health

• Ensure you eat a healthy balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables and low in sugar and red meat
• Exercise regularly

Research Assistive Technology at home

To help you on a day-to-day basis, there are so many different technologies that can help those living with dementia including assistive technology for dementia.  Here are some devices to help you or a loved one to continue to live life independently at home:

• Choose a telephone with big clear buttons and set up a speed dial. Add photos of family and friends photos to stick onto their numbers
• Add pictures on internal doors and cupboards for visual prompts. For example images of pans and pots on kitchen cupboards
• Talking clocks with large displays and calendars to help you keep track of the date and the time
• Adding a locator device onto key day-to-day items (a small electronic tag) to help you find important items such as your purse, wallet, phone or keys
• Electronic medication boxes will remind you or a loved one to take their medication
• Smart Devices such as Amazon’s Alexa allows you to ask questions and Alexa will provide and answer
• Robotic technology now includes automatic vacuum cleaners and even robotic pets

Plan your care

Do you want to stay at home? It is extremely important that you include information in your care plan about how you want to be cared for and where! You also need to discover if you are requiring extra care and support at home – how this will be funded and what you are entitled to.

At Novus Care, we understand it can be a worrying time for families with a dementia diagnosis. The majority of those who have a dementia diagnosis want to remain in their own home which is where our dementia carers can help. Dementia Carers from Novus Care are professionally trained Carers who specialise in Dementia care and who can provide care and support from just 30 minutes per week to 24/7 live in care and support.

Looking for Care at home?

If a loved one is unable to live independently at home, then our Dementia care service can help. Discover how our home care agency can help you or a loved one today, please email us or call our care team for an informal chat on: 0800 138 4030.